Gaze anatomy

Anatomy books, even those with vivid color photographs, don't begin to capture the beauty, complexity or dynamism of what lies inside the human form.

Anatomy books, even those with vivid color photographs, don't begin to capture the beauty, complexity or dynamism of what lies inside the human form.

And then there's "Bodies . . . The Exhibition."

The traveling display, organized by Premier Exhibitions of Atlanta, will open today for a long run (through Dec. 31) in a former CompUSA store at Easton Market.

Already viewed by more than 4 million people during its previous stops, the exhibit -- unveiled two years ago in New York and Florida -- stretches through nine rooms (with a gift shop at the end) and focuses on real human bodies and partial specimens.

Visitors see up close inside the skeletal, muscular, reproductive, respiratory and circulatory systems, among others.

A process called polymer preservation employs liquid silicone to preserve the cadavers permanently.

"People walk in the door, and some of them are somewhat anxious," said Dr. Roy Glover, the chief medical adviser, a Cleveland native and an Ohio State University graduate.

"Then, 3 1/2 hours later, they're still in there."

A writer for The Oregonian of Portland described the display as "a marvelous and disturbing traveling anatomy show."

Glover, who created the Polymer Preservation Laboratory at the University of Michigan, taught anatomy courses throughout his 36-year career there.

He retired in 2004 to work with Premier Exhibitions, which previously toured with artifacts from the Titanic.

"We've had many experiences of people who were going to have surgery coming to the exhibition to find out more about what goes on inside their own bodies. I sometimes say it's too bad we don't have a zipper on our chests so we can open ourselves up and inspect things."

The exhibit, one of at least three blockbuster cadaver shows presented by competing companies worldwide, has attracted controversy along with tens of millions of dollars in revenue.

Human-rights activists have questioned the legitimacy of the sources: Each show has obtained bodies from China.

Wary of the absence of donor documentation, the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., last year vetoed a visit from "Bodies."

And an employee of the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh resigned last month in protest over the show.

"We obtain the bodies through the Chinese government, but it's not because they're executed prisoners," Glover said. "They all have died from natural causes . . . and had no family."

Such bodies, if not buried, are used strictly for educational purposes, such as anatomy courses in medical schools, and remain the property of the state.

Similarly, the bodies in the exhibit "still belong to China," Glover said. "We make sure they are used for educational purposes and presented in a dignified manner."

Perhaps the most disturbing section is the one on the youngest humans: Visitors are given the option to bypass the Fetal Development Gallery.

Inside the gallery are preserved fetuses -- one showing a cleft palate and another the effects of spina bifida.

"In Atlanta, we had a Right to Life group that wanted to come to the exhibition," Glover said. "We're not in the business of making political statements, so we offered to have them come free of charge.

"After they saw the exhibition, they sent messages out that going to see it was the strongest means to support their position. We didn't know what they were going to think."

The adult bodies are posed mostly in active stances. Some are presented as if dribbling a basketball, running on a gym floor or even conducting an orchestra.

The poses, Glover said, help illustrate the dynamics of muscular contraction.

He expressed hope that "Bodies" teaches people, especially children, about the ill effects of smoking, poor nutrition and drug abuse; and the good effects of exercise and proper nutrition.

"When I was growing up, you never talked about the body; it was taboo. So we never learned how to take care of our bodies," he said. "Physicians come and see things they've never seen. No matter who you are, you can come here and learn."